The Untold Truth About Chopped

Chopped is the hit Food Network show that pits four chefs against one another in three fast-paced rounds of cooking. In each round, the chefs must transform unusual mystery ingredients into delicious dishes. The phenomenal popularity of the show has spawned several spin-offs, including Chopped Junior, Chopped: Canada, and several All-Stars: Celebrities episodes. So, what are the behind-the-scenes secrets that make this show a recipe for success? We found out.

Aside from Chopped Junior, the contestants are usually seasoned vets in the kitchen. Some have more experience than others, but almost all have had culinary training, either from school or years on the line. What this means is technique comes second nature to them, so while viewers are freaking out at just the concept of pickled octopus, the contestants already know precisely how long it will take to caramelize that specific protein in a saute pan. That means the chef's biggest challenges are the clock and their unfamiliar surroundings. One contestant told A.V. Club that the open workspace was a relative paradise compared to his usual cramped quarters, and that competitors also got a tour of the pantry, instructions on how to use all of the equipment, as well as an oven preheated to 350 degrees, and a pot of boiling water. All they have to bring are knives, nerves of steel, and a mental lineup of delicious recipes they can whip up using yeast extract and chicken hearts.

The judges use scorecards to record their notes on the "presentation, taste, and creativity" they're looking for in each dish. They claim they don't knock anything for getting cold, since they taste the dishes in succession, and they also give the contestants plenty of time to explain their choices. Former contestant Lewis told A.V. Club the judges spend "about 10 or 15 minutes on each person's dish. It's pretty in-depth, not just, 'needs more salt.'" Then, the judges actually inspect the contestants' work stations, tasting sauces left in pans, checking for cleanliness, and even trying things the contestants may have left off the plate. This all factors into the lengthy deliberation over who is getting chopped. According to Reality Blurred's interview with judge Amanda Freitag, the panel may take 30 to 40 minutes to reach a decision.

Another big question: why do contestants always make four plates when there are only three judges? According to A.V. Club, the extra serving is for photographs and to reveal when someone gets chopped. Let's hope producers are nice enough to at least let the show's host have a bite of that one when they're finished with it.

In his interview with AV Club, Chef Lewis revealed that contestants film their "talking-head" interviews after their segments are completed. Allegedly, that's when producers bring up a laundry list of things contestants may have forgotten they did during the competition.

"I was shocked by how much they wrote down and asked me about," he said. They had stuff that I hadn't even realized happened while filming. Like, apparently I freaked out. I couldn't find something and my hands started flailing and I kept repeating the same thing over and over again. I did not remember that happening until they asked me about it, and actually I was shocked when they didn't include that in the final broadcast. Shocked and pleased, since I actually think I came off pretty professionally." He continued, "There was another time when they thought I had cut myself, and they kept asking me about that, but I hadn't. I just had some onion skin on myself."

Is this Chopped or Big Brother?

In her blog for Medium, contestant Robicelli described being on Chopped as less like a relaxing trip to Ina Garten's house and more like trying to fight your way out of the movie TRON.

"Chopped is not a 'cooking competition.' Chopped is a game show," she wrote (albeit dramatically). "It doesn't have as much to do with making good, or, hell, even edible food; it has everything to do with navigating an obstacle course in a small amount of time, with unknown supplies and constant surprises."

"Chopped was, without question, one of the most physically and emotionally torturous experiences of my entire life," she continued.

But, but, but the food looks so good!

If you thought the ingredients in the mystery baskets were chosen at random, think again. In fact, in an interview with Food Network, host Allen revealed that "the basket's ingredients are chosen by a committee that's led by our staffer Sara Hormi." He said the contents are "designed to be possible but difficult...So if we give you, say, tomatillos, flatbreads and silky tofu, obviously we're looking for a play on grilled cheese and tomato soup, right? The funny thing is the chefs don't have a lot of time to think about it. In fact, they have no time to think about it, and they really don't know what the ingredients are, so they don't usually figure out what the riddle is inside the basket, but there definitely is an intention."

"Once in a while, the judges or myself will look at a basket and say, 'This is just too mean or just too hard,' and we'll ask if something can be switched out," Allen said, "and usually they'll do that for us if our concerns are legit, but there's a lot of thought process that goes into choosing those ingredients."

According to host Allen, Chopped could be a much raunchier show if the jokes that he and the judges make while filming actually made it into the final cut. "The judges and I tell very risqué jokes," he told Yahoo! TV, "but you don't see it because Food Network is very G-rated."

Perhaps Food Network will release an uncensored cut of Chopped on DVD. Here's hoping.